[News] An LA Player's History: LizzyT
#6293222 - 12/02/05 01:58 AM (24.196.89.247)
An LA Player's History: LizzyT
This is the third article in a continuing series on LA History and its players' experiences since the opening of the shard. This time I am interviewing LizzyT, who as many of you know, is currently "on hiatus" from playing UO but is still a part of our forum community. Lizzy has been an important part of the LA community since it started, and her recollections and impressions give an important perspective on the LA community and UO in general. LizzyT was an innovator, as you will see!
I have placed links at the end of this article to all previous articles in this series, and a link to a thread you can add new suggestions for "interviewees" onto (as well as, hopefully, some contact information for them).
Here then is LizzyT's UO memories and discussion of her time playing on the LA shard!
First Some Personal Questions for Lizzy:
When did you begin playing UO?
Well, I began playing on my ex-husband's account in Beta II.
When did you start playing on LA?
Psiserrat lured me in when LA went live. I had been on hiatus for a year beforehand.
What were the name(s) of your main character(s)?
Well, the name of my main character was Alexana "Lexi" Sibriani, but most people know me as LizzyT. Lexi was LA's official courtesan and a well-known philanthropist for about a year before I got involved in A|B and retired to live amongst the best group ever to grace the shard (Sorry, everyone, but A|B was full of good people at the beginning)
Would you like to tell us a little about yourself personally?
I am a 29-year-old mom of two. My daughters, aged 7 and 5, are my princesses; if you have known me online for a bit, you have probably seen their pictures. I also have two dogs, Cheyenne and Lou, who take up whatever space is left on the best after the girls climb in with me.
I have been a journalist for the last five years, and recently began a new position with an international public relations firm, as a copywriter. It's strange being on the other side of the newsdesk.
In July, I am getting remarried. Since he is in the Navy, the girls, dogs and I will be relocating to be near him. He loves me and my children, and we love him too, so all-in-all, it's a wonderful way for one chapter to end, and another to begin. I feel pretty dern content with my life at the moment.
Did you run any "establishments" on the shard?
As a matter of fact, I did. I had the first New Player Center. Unlike the ones that followed which were much farther reaching in their impact and scale, mine was a youth hostel funded almsot entirely by the kindness of people on the shard. Newbies could "move into" the hostel and had all the necessary regeants, etc., at their fingertips. We also had a "NEW" guildstone so that they could spar on our little island, and were targetted a bit less frequently.
Did you belong to any guilds or groups that you care to mention?
Yup. My first guild was Psi's. I think it was called PHX? It was my first experience on LA and I met some friends whom I still keep in touch with now. I was the only girl (well, real girl) so I always had fun getting doted on by my fearless protectors.
I won't babble about A|B. Some of my best UO memories stem from that guild, and many of my worst. It is an era that is both a blessing and bane, but the friends I made will always remain close to me. Especially of note: Hepcat, Malevolence, Crimson Rose (the other one
), Nemesis Arcane, Pan Arcane, Bubbles (both of them), Bizzy, Nefarius, Bast and Pandora (through the cheerleaders). Others, I know I have forgotten to mention. But any way you do it, you know if you connected with me, and how much I hearted you if we did.
If you have gone "on vacation" from UO before now … when was it, why, and for how long?
The first time was for one year before LA opened. I had gotten bored of the game and many of my friends from Chessy had moved on to other games. I felt antiquated, much as I do on LA now, which is why I no longer play
If you are not currently playing… do you intend to return?
Well, let's say this; I have never sold my accounts. I have come close but never done it. Who knows. Others have returned. I see Rose Cotton and Beldin are both back. I am sure others will return as well. I might be amongst them one day. But the current game, as it stands, is not for me.
What "style" of play has been your main one or favorite?
Hmm, those are two different questions. My 'main' style would be a traditional Trammy banksitter. My 'favorite' would be working with good groups to spawn or fight. I can organize well, and in my last year began to play incognito. I learned that I could actually PvP and that I actually enjoyed it. My favorite style would be "with friends" though
What do you think makes a "good" UO player?
Dedication. Patience. Above all else, though, respect for others and their playstyles. One of the best shards traditionally was Siege for this reason. I think that is why I liked A|B. PvPers rely on farmers to supply regs and supplies. Trammies get their scrolls at the local vendor without lifting a spellbook. Everyone in UO is supposed to be a community and as such, interreliant. I think that is where UO went wrong. When guilds were your family unit, everyone worked together and relied upon one another to succeed. That is not the case anymore.
What do you like the most about UO? Has this attracted you to start playing or stay with the game?
This will be a very cliche response, but more than anything, UO is about people. No game has ever captured the sense of community that UO was able to convey. You could manifest your character's destiny to your heart's content. If you didn't like your template, you could change it without starting over. Your person was whatever you wanted it to be, and since you put that much soul into your character, it became something more.
One of my favorite sayings is "Nothing perfect has a soul". UO personifies that image.
What do you not like the most in UO? Has this caused you to actually leave the game?
I think I have said this, and many have heard my complaints, but UO has become too much about what you have and less about who you have it with. It used to be about a team effort, and now "team effort" is synonymous with "gank squad". It's just a totally different animal, and one to which I find no attraction. Things as simple as vendors have had a vast detriment on the game. It took out the need for player-to-player interaction. The reliance on 'weapons of mass destruction' has negated the benefit of the neighborhood smithy. Nutty Professors would not thrive in today's UO marketplace. It just isn't the same game.
How would you like to see UO develop to help people stay interested and involved and/or attract new players?
Realistically, this game is nearly a decade old. That is archaic by computer standards. I think I started playing this on a 133. Now, my cell phone has more power than that! The fact that this game has stood so long is more a testament to the dedicated players than to anything else. I have seen a revival in the strength of the staff and the efforts of EA to provide more content. The question is where it just becomes silly (elven sunglasses??). The greatest hope for UO are its vets. They return, they open multiple aco****s, they bring spouses and kids and friends and roommates. Reaching out to the old players will bring in new ones.
If you could create "the perfect" UO game…. what would it be like?
I have played it. It was wonderful.
Reminiscing:
What was your favorite "era" in UO to date?
Hmmm, probably pre-Publish 16. The game took a totally different direction at that point. The WORST period was post AOS...Ewwie!!
How do you think UO has developed and changed since you started with it?
I think it changed from a Massively Multiplayer Online ROLEPLAYING Game into an archaic XBOX Live.
What other players on Lake Austin did you particularly enjoy going up against and/or hunting with?
I mentioned many above, but some others to note would be Nutty Professor (YOU STILL OWE ME CHILD SUPPORT!), Belshazar, War of the Roses, Rave, Arkyn, Crazy Joe, Aurora, Jinxie, MrBlah, Caeman and Cartman, Basher, Buttercup (the PPGs in general), Fishbert, the whole Cosmic-Monkey clan and all the old-tyme Stratics posters that used to keep the topics rolling off the page faster than you could respond to them.
Last, but not least, Razor. Over the years, he has been a source of comfort in an ever-changing world. Though he has grown into himself more and more each year, his general character and demeanor has remained constant. I am sure many people would not understand me saying this; many don't know him well enough. But I truly respect him and am glad to have seen his point-of-view time and again in the past. I look forward to it in the future.
Were there any particular alliances/opponent guilds that you were particularly engaged with and against?
A|B was formed to combat SD's guild. Otherwise, I suppose it would be the supremely eminent Pan Arcane and the Arcane Empire that struck the most fear into my heart
I truly think that the Drow guild (I can't remember the name =/) and Beldin's were probably two of the best the shard ever saw for dedication to community and to fun. Also Tycolby's work was amazing! His crew was always on the go and willing to help anyone who needed a hand. They all exemplified my ideal UO.
Can you recount a specially memorable event?
There are many. One of my favorites is probably the bachelorette auction. When the shard was young, TraLaLaDiDa and I got along. We worked together to plan a shard-wide bachelorette auction to raise funds for youth hostel. The planning and the actual event were a lot of fun. Actually, many of those events, like Daria's Drunken Races, are good memories.
Were you one of the early LA players? If so, what was LA like for you when it was a young shard?
One word. COMMUNITY. It was very much like I remembered UO to be. The Youth Hostel thrived because people took an interest in helping each other. Everyone was new in retrospect; we all came from different shards. But we worked well together. It was a period that can never be forgotten, and sadly, I doubt it can be replicated.
If you helped "open" the LA shard, what is the most memorable part of opening a new shard?
I didn't come until it was open for a month.
My 'job' in my eyes was to keep new people rolling in from the other shards where life had become droll. I knew what it was like when I quit; LA was a whole different animal and I hoped to share that with others.
Is there anything else you'd like to add?
I am thankful for my memories of LA and the people I have met. It isn't 'just a game'. It's like going to the local bar and making friends with the people you see every Thursday night, and there is a comfort in that. It just loses that feeling when you realize everyone is moving to a bar down the street because the service here sucks. It's just never quite the same again.
Thanks LizzyT for responding to my LA historical questions, and congratulations on the engagement! There are more interviews to come, and I still have promised articles on PvP and Factions too. Stay tuned for more in the LA History article series.
Links
Here are the links to the previous articles in this series, and the thread for adding suggestions and contact information for past players:
* Player Interview #1: Pan Arcane.
* Player Interview #2: Rose Cotton.
* Here is the link to the historical player name thread for you to see who is suggested for interviews, and make any other suggestion you might want to: Player Name Suggestions/Contact Information.